Perfect Just The Way You Are
by youreconfusingme
Summary: Ollie Wood is set to find the perfect Chaser and Seeker for his team. But what he finds is more than what he expects.
1. Tryouts

**Perfect Just the Way You Are**

Author's Note: this is my first shot at a KatiexOliver pairing! I hope you enjoy it! Please review!! Thanks a bunch! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters. I wish I own Snape, though..haha!

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**Chapter One: Tryouts**

"Everyone who's trying out for Chaser position on this side!" Oliver Wood roared. "And Seekers this side!" He pointed at one side of the Quidditch field. The knot of people separated and either went to the Chasers' side or on the Seekers'. It was the first Saturday back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the Gryffindor Quidditch team were holding out tryouts for a Chaser and a Seeker.

_God knows we need a better team since Charlie Weasley left, _Oliver thought to himself grimly. He scanned the chattering crowd before turning to his team. Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, his two Chasers, were talking animatedly to each other. Fred and George Weasley, the Beaters, were trying to knock each other out with their clubs. Oliver sighed.

"Okay, team, let's get this tryout cracking," he commanded.

Fred, George, Alicia and Angelina each grabbed their brooms and walked toward him. They must have noticed his weary tone because Angelina said in a soothing voice, "Oliver, it's okay. We're gonna find a good Chaser or Seeker—or maybe even both—here. Just look at this crowd! I bet Matt Dillon is here again. Remember when he tried to shoot a Quaffle?"

Oliver smiled. Maybe, just maybe, this tryout could be all worth it.


	2. Paths Cross

**Perfect Just the Way You Are**

**Chapter 2: Paths Cross**

**A/N: **my first shot at KatiexOliver :) I love this pairing! Please read and review! Thanks :) –H ü

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The Chaser wanna-bes tried out first. Alicia, Angelina, and Oliver all positioned themselves at the blast of Oliver's whistle. Sandra Porter, a fourth year, was first in line for Chaser tryouts. Angelina tried to pass the scarlet Quaffle to her but she was giggling so hard that she didn't catch the Quaffle.

"This is going to be a long day," Oliver muttered under his breath as Alicia reverse-passed to Sandra and she didn't get it again.

"Next!" Oliver called. A petite blonde named Darci Pennyfeather had a go. She saved two goals. She made to throw the Quaffle once more when she caught sight of Oliver staring at her with a small smile on his face. She quickly turned red and dropped the ball. Angelina shot downward like a bullet to retrieve it.

A long list of students had come and gone, and yet Oliver had not yet found a perfect Chaser. The most that his school mates could do was shoot three goals then either turn red and miss (that would be the girls) or just simply mess up—occasionally cracking up as well. Only three people were left at the Chaser side now. Matt Dillon, Oliver's fellow fifth year, Sally Fibbings, and a second year student Oliver didn't know.

Matt Dillon tried next. He was so enthusiastic that he dropped the Quaffle immediately after Alicia passed it to him. Oliver glared at him and he turned a dark shade of red. He tried to put the Quaffle through one of the hoops—and missed completely. Matt tried for several times more, until Oliver couldn't take it anymore.

"No—stop. I said stop it, Matt. You may go—you're done."

"No, Oliver, please! I-I'll have just one more go. Please," Matt begged.

Oliver felt sorry for him. After all, he had tried out for the last two years in the running. But his decision was firm.

"I'm sorry, Dillon. You've showed us what you can do, now go."

"Please! I'll—" Matt looked frenzied.

"GO!" Wood bellowed. Poor Matt trotted out of the field with his head kept down, only two people were left now and they needed to finish the Chaser tryouts before it started to rain. Oliver could hear a thunder rumbling nearby.

Sally Fibbings came forward. She was carrying the latest Nimbus 2000.

"You ready?" asked Oliver. Sally nodded and said in a girly voice, "Let's make it quick. It's going to rain soon and that second year over there still has to have her shot." She jerked her thumb toward the second year girl who was sitting cross-legged on the grass, watching the sky overhead apprehensively.

Angelina, Alicia, Oliver and Sally all flew up. Alicia held the Quaffle and passed it to Angelina, who passed it to Sally, who passed it back to Alicia, who reverse-passed to Sally and the Quaffle came hurtling toward one of the goal posts. Oliver was caught off-guard and when he tried to block it, it was too late. Sally scored again after that.

"Sally, if you score two more, we'll let the second year try and beat your record. If she scores five, she's on the team. If not, then you'll be our new Chaser," Oliver shouted from the goal posts.

"Okay!" Sally yelled back.

The tryout resumed. Sally stole the Quaffle easily from Alicia and Angelina that she scored a total of four before missing for the first time.

"Okay, let the second year play!" Wood told his teammates. So far, Sally was the best player to try out. He'd have to see what this second year could do. The second year came trotting up to them. "Hi. I'm Katie Bell. I'm ready," she added.

Oliver nodded. "Well then, let's see what you've got…"

Everyone positioned themselves. Angelina passed the Quaffle to Katie, Katie passed to Alicia, and Alicia passed it back to Angelina, who zoomed away carrying the Quaffle. It was their way to see how alert Katie was and to see if she'd chase the ball.

Katie chased Angelina until she managed to extract the ball skillfully and put it through the goal hoop. Oliver was ready, but he still missed.

"How did you do that?" Angelina asked disbelievingly. She caught the Quaffle Oliver threw to her and resumed as if nothing had happened.

Katie scored five more. It was turning out to be a great game. Finally, Oliver screamed, "Bell, you're in!"

Katie grinned hard and watched as her new teammates swarmed at her. She could see Sally walking back up to the castle. She was in!

"Congratulations, Katie. You made it in fair and square," complimented Oliver. He, too, was grinning broadly. Angelina, Alicia, Fred and George greeted their newest member just as Oliver told the poor Seeker wanna-bes that their tryout was cancelled, as it was going to rain soon. Then he turned to his team.

"Now all we have to do is find a good Seeker that could win us every game. Thanks for your cooperation."

Katie looked fondly at her new teammates. Waiting had been worth it after all.


	3. Confrontation

**Perfect Just the Way You Are**

**Chapter 3: Confrontation**

**Author's Note: **chapter 3 is up! :) more chappies to come. Enjoy! Please leave some reviews. Feedbacks are really appreciated :) Thanks! –H Ü

"Hey Katie," Alicia Spinnet greeted. It was a good two months after the Chaser tryouts and the Gryffindor team had already gotten itself a new Seeker as well—Harry Potter. Alicia and Katie were in the usual noisy crowd in the Gryffindor common room. Katie was sprawled on the floor, reading _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _for Snape, the Potions master.

"Hi, Alicia," Katie replied. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing much. I was just wondering if you've ever noticed…" Alicia let her voice trail off mysteriously.

"Noticed what?" asked Katie curiously. Alicia looked serious and amused at the same time.

"Kates, Angelina and I think that Oliver Wood has a crush on you," she blurted out.

"What?" Katie gave her a blank look. Alicia sighed impatiently. "Katie Bell, we—Angelina and I, that is—seriously think that Oliver Wood, our Quidditch captain, has a crush on you," she repeated. "Want me to run it over again?"

Katie sat up. She giggled nervously. _She _had a crush on Oliver. But Oliver, having a crush on her? That's—

"Improbable. Totally impossible. Oliver, having a crush on me? He's a fifth year, for Merlin's sake!"

"That's what Angelina and I think is so romantic!" Alicia threw up her arms in desperation. "Oliver's a fifth year and he likes the cutest member of his team!"

Katie blushed at her friend's comment.

"But how do you know for sure that he fancies me? I've been on the team only for two months, Alicia. For all we know he may fancy Angelina, or you, or some other girl," Katie reminded her.

"The Weasley twins told us!" Alicia exclaimed triumphantly. "Even Harry noticed it." She looked across the room to where Harry and the twins were playing Exploding Snaps.

"Uh, no offense, Alicia, but the Weasley twins aren't exactly your perfect angels," Katie remarked. Deep down, though, she thought that it was flattering and sweet to think that Oliver secretly liked her back. It just wasn't clear enough for her to believe.

Alicia looked at her sternly. Katie could tell that she wouldn't let the subject drop. Then she called across the room for Harry and the twins.

"What's up?" Fred asked curiously.

"Oh, I was just trying to put some clue on Miss Bell here. She wouldn't believe me when I told her that we think Oliver likes her," Alicia explained exasperatedly.

"_Oh,_" recognition dawned on George's features. "I get it. You don't believe it, huh? Remember how Oliver yelled at us extra loud for letting a Bludger hit you?"

"Yeah, but I was going to score then!" argued Katie.

"And the time he personally offered to escort you to all your classes before the first match against Slytherin so that you wouldn't have to endure the usual jeers from the bloody idiots? For the record, that was the first time Oliver did something like that. Mind you, we all had to endure that. Even Harry. He usually assigns others to accompany fellow teammates, you know," added Fred.

"Harry's a guy! I'm a girl—and the youngest girl on the team, for that matter! What does that have—" Katie started to say. She knew they were right. It was just all so hard to believe. Oh yeah, and too good to be true.

"Yeah! And the way he looks out for you every time we have our training? You'd think he was watching out for his own life," interrupted Harry with a sly smile.

"Thanks a lot!" Katie shot at him. Harry just smirked at her.

"See? Katie Bell, all the signs point there! Or do you want me to call Angelina for further proof? Now, if you'd just give Oliver a damn good chance to ask you out for a walk around the grounds at night, that'd be sooo romantic—" Alicia improvised dreamily.

"Whoa!" Katie held up a hand to stop Alicia. The boys were all smirking. "Stop—rewind. Oliver doesn't like me. He's only being nice because I'm the youngest girl on his team. And Alicia, I don't know about that. A walk around the grounds at night when we're not even allowed to go out past eight? Gee, that'd be swell," Katie couldn't keep the sarcasm out of her voice. She rolled her eyes and made a funny face. Alicia glared at her. "Fine. Fine, don't listen to us. But if Oliver asks you to marry him one of these days, remember where you got the scoop first."

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Whatever." Katie waved them off and returned to her reading, a small smile tugging on the corner of her mouth.

**A/N: **I really hope Katie and Oliver got together in the real Harry Potter ;) PLEASE REVIEW!!! :D


	4. Curious Questions

**Perfect Just the Way You Are**

**Chapter 4: Curious Questions**

**A/N: **my first shot at KatiexOllie. Please read and review! Thanks a bunch! –H Ü

_Does Oliver really like me? Or am I just imagining things? _Katie thought over and over again. She couldn't concentrate on turning her ladybugs into buttons in Transfiguration that morning. Her mind kept dwelling on what Alicia said the night before. All the signs _did _seem to point at the fact that Oliver liked her back. But how would she get the truth out of Oliver Wood?

Katie waved her wand carelessly side to side while muttering the incantation that would turn her ladybugs into buttons. _Maybe Professor McGonagall wouldn't notice_, she thought guiltily.

But with that hawk-like eyes? Nobody would think for even a second that she wouldn't. After watching Katie struggle aimlessly with her ladybugs, Professor McGonagall yelled, "Miss Bell, if you only came to this class to dawdle, then I'm afraid you'd have to leave now!"

When Katie looked up, everyone in the class was staring at her curiously. Her face turned red.

"I-I'm sorry, Professor. I'm going to work harder on these now," Katie said embarrassedly. She pushed Oliver and all thoughts of him out of her mind and got back to work.

Professor McGonagall was still glaring at her.

**OK, I know it's short, but I do update this story every day! XD I hope y'all like it so far. Three more chappies to go, guys. **

**[no classes for two days this week! That means I can update! Yay! :]**


	5. Seriously?

**Perfect Just the Way You Are**

**Chapter 5: Seriously?**

**Author's Note: **my first shot at the KatiexOliver pairing. Please read and review! Enjoy! Thanks :) –H Ü

As she walked with Alicia and Angelina to the Quidditch field that night, Katie wondered what was waiting for her on the field. Would he allow her to find out his real feelings for her or would Oliver decide to keep it to himself until he was buried?

Katie hadn't noticed that they had already arrived at the Quidditch field until she felt a little nudge on her side—Angelina was beckoning her with Alicia and herself to the center of the field where the rest of the team was waiting for them.

When they got there, Oliver spoke. He couldn't keep the urgency out of his voice this time.

"Our match against Ravenclaw is this Satuday. We need a win, team, because that could push us to second for the Cup if the Slytherins beat the Hufflepuffs. Tonight I want everyone—no exception—to play like it's our last. I have the impression that no one in the Gryffindor Quidditch team wants to lose. Does anyone have an objection with that?" he looked around menacingly at them.

"Oliver, mate, trust me. We want to win as much as you," Fred assured him.

"Yeah, Oliver. I want to see our name in that Cup this year, too," echoed Katie. Oliver looked at her with his eyes bright. He was grinning from ear to ear at her. Then he treated each team member with the smile. He was glad and felt invigorated at his team's determination—not to mention Katie's.

"Okay, then. Let's see if the Gryffindor team has what it takes to go home with that Quidditch Cup!" Oliver pumped his fist in the air and whistled shrilly, signaling the start of training.

Apparently each of the members of the Gryffindor team felt challenged by Oliver's speech. They all played so well that Oliver thought his heart would burst with happiness as he watched the team he had captained for almost two years play their best that night. He especially liked Harry's performance. It was exceptionally good that night.

Then something red and blurry streaked past him. It took him a minute to realize that it was Katie Bell, his youngest Chaser. He watched for a while when Katie had the Quaffle and was aiming for one of the hoops Oliver was guarding. Quite suddenly, a Bludger hurtled out of nowhere toward her, obviously trying to knock her off her broom. Oliver looked around desperately, yelling for Fred and George to help Katie but when he saw them assisting each other with the other Bludger that was putting up a big fight, Oliver abandoned his post altogether to help his Chaser.

"Hang on, Kates!" Oliver screamed at Katie, who was clinging for dear life on her broomstick, which the Bludger was hitting fervently. When he reached her, Oliver tried to pull Katie from her bamboozled broomstick to ride with him instead when Fred and George appeared and whacked the Bludger together with such force that it had gone slightly off-course. Oliver was helping Katie re-adjust her position on her broomstick as Harry, Angelina and Alicia arrived.

"What happened?" they asked.

"A Bludger was bamboozling Katie's broom. I tried to help her but thank God Fred and George arrived in time to save Katie from falling off completely," Oliver explained. Fred, George, Harry, Alicia and Angelina exchanged smirks and had superior looks in their faces.

"But, I don't understand," started Harry. "Oliver, you abandoned your post. You never do that."

"Don't I?" Oliver muttered. "It doesn't matter. As long as nobody got hurt, right?"

"Yeah. You did the right thing, mate," George praised him. Oliver noticed that he was grinning.

"What're you grinning like that for? One of our Chasers almost got hurt," Oliver demanded.

"Nothing," George said in a mock innocent voice. But he was still grinning.

They resumed practice. It lasted for only half an hour when it suddenly started to rain. It was only a drizzle at first, but soon became so hard and pronounced that they had to stop.

"Team! To the changing rooms!" bellowed Oliver's voice through the thick rain. The team trudged in the mud to the changing rooms. Blinking at the sudden light, everyone wiped their wet faces and hairs and changed while chattering. Angelina and Alicia seemed to be deep in conversation that Katie didn't want to interrupt. Fred, George and Harry were talking about the Weasleys' house at Ottery Street, Catchpole and Katie sure can't relate to _that_. She saw that the only person to talk to was Oliver himself.

"Hi, Oliver. Great practice tonight. Too bad it poured," she commented as she sat down beside him in the bench. Oliver looked up and seemed surprised that Katie was there. He seemed confused for a second.

"What--? Oh, yeah. You all did a great job. Especially you with that Bludger. Brilliant."

Katie blushed in his praise. "Thanks. I almost didn't manage it. Thank God you came, or else I would've been in serious dragon dung now."

Oliver smiled. "Ah, well, the twins did a great job with the Bludgers tonight as well."

"Yeah. You pick nice people for your team, you know that, Wood?" Katie remarked to him. Oliver seemed flushed at her remark.

"Thank you for that lovely compliment, Bell," he said playfully.

"Oh, that was nothing," Katie finally caught up. "But if I were captain I'm not sure I'd pick you."

"Why?" Oliver pretended to be hurt though he was smothering a small laugh.

"Because you're too good to be true!" Katie concluded, laughing. But she stopped abruptly when she realized what she had said. Everyone in the room heard it loud and clear—including Oliver. She clapped a hand to her mouth and turned scarlet. Her eyes widened as she looked at her teammates then at Oliver, who was sort of gaping at her. Katie's eyes filled with stinging tears as she scrambled to her feet to the door, and ran as fast as she can to the castle through the rain without looking back.

**A/N: **this is my favorite chapter! XD I hope you liked it as well. I wasn't able to update yesterday, though, because I was busy. Today, I actually just came home from doing volunteer work for our fellow Filipinos who suffered because of the typhoon Ondoy (29 September, 2009). Tiring, but it was great to know that I have helped them as well.

Ooh, I'm not feeling too well! T_T (CSI:NY tonight! "Grounds for Deception")


	6. Flibbertigibbet

**Perfect Just the Way You Are**

**Chapter 6: Flibbertigibbet **

**A/N: **my first shot at KatiexOllie :) please read and review. Enjoy! –H Ü

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Katie went straight to the girls' dormitory in the Gryffindor tower that night. Apparently, her roommates were all at dinner because the room was empty when she entered it. She thanked God silently for this and changed into dry, comfortable clothes. She walked to their window and looked in the night. The rain had stopped.

What would happen with her friendship with Oliver now that he knew how she felt for him? Would it change at all? What if Oliver made fun of her? After all, their age difference _is_ slightly big.

Katie sighed as she lay down on her four-poster bed. She drew the curtains to cover herself and went to sleep.

She was dreading what tomorrow might bring.

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

The next day, Katie avoided her teammates around the halls and corridors. She hated to see their smug faces and hear I-told-you-so's. By lunch, she went to sit in her usual place beside her friend, Luanne Thatcher. But before she even neared the sit beside Luanne's, somebody yanked her by the back of her robe. Hard.

"Ouch! What--?" Katie exclaimed. She turned and saw two worried expressions staring at her. It was Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson.

"What the _hell_ happened to you last night?" demanded Alicia. "Oliver was calling for you and even went after you!"

"We went looking for you, you bloody Chaser! Thank goodness the Fat Lady said you were in the tower. Oliver was so worried and you almost got us all detentions from Filch!" Angelina added.

"Really?" Katie asked weakly.

Angelina's face softened. "Yes. Really. And you know what also happened after you left?" she added.

"What?"

"Oliver beamed. That is, only for about five seconds. His expression changed immediately in that of a look of worry."

"Yep. Obviously it was because of what slipped out from your big mouth, you little blabbermouth," Alicia teased.

"Really?" Katie asked for the second time.

Alicia threw up her hands. "_When _are you going to believe us, Miss Runaway Chaser?"

Katie giggled. "Sorry. I just can't believe it."

"Well you better believe it, then," said Angelina. She smiled. "Eat lots of lunch—Oliver told me to tell you that we have four hours of practice tonight, from five till nine, if we can manage it. Seriously, I think Wood wants us all to try out for international Quidditch teams after Hogwarts with these long-hour trainings!" Then she and Alicia went to sit beside their classmates and Katie sat down next to Luanne.

"What took you so long?" she scolded. "Class is starting in thirty minutes!"

But Katie Bell wouldn't let any reprimand dampen her day.

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**A/N: **I almost forgot to update this chapter today! LOL! Man, my fingers hurt..


	7. All's Well That Ends Well

**Perfect Just the Way You Are**

**Chapter 7: All's Well That Ends Well**

**A/N: **whew! And finally, the last chapter. I hope this ends well…LOL. Special thanks to **AddidasandPie **for reviewing almost every chapter of this story…this one is for you :) –H Ü

**Disclaimer: **for the last time, I don't own the characters or Harry Potter.

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Saturday dawned bright and clear. Katie woke up, but couldn't seem to work up the energy to get up for an early breakfast. Finally, at nine-thirty, she went down to the Great Hall for something to eat. There she found Harry Potter, the Weasley twins, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, all huddled in one side of the long Gryffindor table, no doubt discussing about the upcoming match with the Ravenclaws.

"…I heard Chang is their new Seeker. She's pretty good. She's a second-year. Watch out for her, Harry. Although it's no doubt you'll be better than her," Katie overheard Fred Weasley as she approached her teammates. Harry saw her coming first.

"Hey, Katie. I thought you weren't going to turn up! Oh, good morning, by the way. I wonder where our great captain is…." Harry wondered aloud. Katie nodded her greetings to the team, dwelling on the same thought that Harry had. _Where could Oliver be? He was usually the early one. Maybe he—_

"Hey. Is this seat taken?" Katie's thoughts were put to an abrupt stop. Oliver was towering behind her, motioning to the seat beside her.

"Uh…er, no. Take it if you want," she stammered, her cheeks heating up. How could she get along with everybody today—well, Oliver—after what she did the other night? The last practice had been intense, so there wasn't really any time to talk and mingle. But Oliver wanted everyone to relax and have fun on matches. _That means there'd be a lot of talk, if possible_, thought Katie.

George cleared his throat. "Uh, so, Alicia. What did Professor Flitwick want with the third-years this Monday?"

"Oh, I almost forgot. Angelina, Fred, you were teamed together for that damned project, and George, you're…" Alicia droned on to her classmates. Harry saw his best friends, Ron and Hermione, and came over to their side of the table. This left Oliver and Katie who were eating their breakfast around an embarrassed silence. Then Katie blurted out to Oliver, "Oliver—I'm sorry for what I've said and done the other day at practice. I didn't mean for you guys to get in all that trouble with Filch, and, oh…I'm just so sorry!" She buried her face in her hands. Oliver took her hands away from her face and said in a comforting voice, "Look, Kates, it doesn't matter. I forgive you and I'm sure everyone does, too. Just promise me that you'll never run away again where I can't find you."

Katie smiled. "Stop being such a mush, Oliver. It's grossing me out!" she laughed.

"Okay, okay! I'll stop. Just promise me that, alright?"

"Yes. Aye, aye, captain!" Katie grinned.

"Oh, and another thing," Oliver looked serious now.

"What?" Katie's heart was thumping wildly. Oliver's going to tell her now that he loves her!!

"Try your best not to fall off your broom this time! And help me make sure we win, no matter what!" Oliver declared for the entire world to hear.

Katie's smile dropped. Oh, well. _Better luck next time_, she thought dispiritedly to herself.

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Eleven o'clock approached quickly and soon the Gryffindor Quidditch team walked out into the field, going straight for the locker rooms. Everyone changed into their scarlet uniforms and soon heard the crowd coming to the Quidditch field, chattering and hissing insults at opposing houses. Finally, Oliver turned to his team and said in a somewhat stricken voice, "Okay. I just want you all to have fun, while taking everything seriously. But I also want to win. So who's with me?" Fred and George started cheering and clapping, bringing the others to cheer in with them.

Katie never felt this happy to be in the Quidditch team before. Twenty minutes later, the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match was in full-swing. Cho Chang and Harry were skimming each end of the field with hawk-like eyes. Angelina had the Quaffle and was aiming for Ravenclaw's end of the field. A Ravenclaw Chaser was closing in on her, but she suddenly threw the Quaffle with all her might through the middle post and scored for Gryffindor. It was now fifty-seventy, with Gryffindor in favor. Now Alicia had the Quaffle possession. She looked around for Katie and finally spotted her. She threw the Quaffle to her.

"Bell in possession, she loops Ravenclaw captain, Davies, narrowly misses another Chaser, she aims, shoots…scores! Fifty-eighty, with Gryffindor in the lead!" Lee Jordan, the commentator—also a Gryffindor—said through tumultuous cheering and applause from spectators. Katie's face flushed with pride. She looked around and caught Oliver's eyes. He was grinning at her. She grinned back and went into position again. Ravenclaw now had the Quaffle. But before their Chaser even scored, Lee Jordan suddenly burst out, "Potter and Chang! Potter and Chang in a neck and neck race to the Snitch. It's Chang on the lead—no, Potter. No, it's Chang! Potter closes in—HE'S CAUGHT THE SNITCH!"

The Gryffindor supporters screamed and cheered with glee. Oliver and the others got down to the field, meeting hundreds of supporters who were waiting to greet them. Before she could even greet her friends, Katie felt someone yank her away by the arm.

"Argh! What do you think you're—" she started to retort. But she stopped immediately when she saw who it was. "Oliver." She smiled embarrassedly. Oliver beamed.

"I only wanted to congratulate you for a job well done. And…I've been thinking about what you said the other day," said Oliver slyly.

"What about whatever I said the other day?" Katie murmured.

"You know, me being, what was that? 'Too good to be true,' as I recall it?"

"Oh. That. Well, as a matter of fact," Katie shifted uncomfortably, "it _was_ kind of, er, true."

"How true?" asked Oliver, sighing.

"Well, um, er…true-true, that is," Katie said, cheeks flaming uncontrollably. She looked up to Oliver, fearing what he might say despite, well, everything. Instead, she found him grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm glad. I was actually hoping that you meant what you said."

"Really?" asked Katie incredulously. "You mean it? And I was so afraid that you won't like me back! Oops."

Oliver laughed; looking at Katie's stunned expression. "Yes. Really. Do you still want proof?" he asked, smirking.

"That would be welcome anytime," answered Katie.

"Tell me how you feel after this and then we'll try to reason with each other," Oliver said, leaning down on Katie and kissing her gently on the lips. His lips felt warm and soft against Katie's almost-numbed ones. When he pulled away, she thought she was going to faint.

"Oliver Wood! What was that all about?" she chided gently. But Oliver just grinned and said, "I thought it might be 'the day' or something. We've been dancing around this for too long anyway."

"Touché. But…I'm a second-year. Are you sure you'd like to date a lower-year?"

"Hmm…come to think of it, I haven't actually thought of that. Lemme think…"

Katie's face fell. Oliver took one glance at her and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

"You look funny when you're in shock. But, yes, I'd still date you. That is, we could go out when you're in third year. You know, Hogsmeade and stuff."

"Oh. Yeah. Well, that's the hitch. Can we manage, captain?"

"Of course, Lady Bell. Whatever you wish," said Oliver playfully. Katie smacked him in the arms and smirked. Oliver smirked back. He looked smug for some mysterious reason. Then he took Katie in his arms again and kissed her. After breaking apart, they went back to the castle into the Gryffindor common room where the celebration of the Gryffindor House was in full swing.

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**A/N: **I hope y'all liked it!! And I sure hope I did OK with the ending. But Katie and Oliver lived happily ever after, don't worry :)) please review!! Thanks a million.


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